Warren: MISD fails to meet federal standards

Published 3:45 pm, Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Each year, public school districts and campuses are evaluated federally on participation and passing rates on math and English language arts/reading TAKS tests for grades 3-8 and 10, graduation rates for high schools and districts and attendance rates for elementary and middle schools.

Regardless of what ratings say, Warren said all parents and students should be proud of the schools they attend and the education they're receiving.

"We're going to produce children who will be college-ready and workforce ready when they leave us," Warren said. "The kids are going to go into a career and be ready to succeed."

As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act, public school districts and campuses have been evaluated annually for AYP since 2003.

AYP standards increase each year with the target goal of having 100 percent of students pass math and reading tests by 2013-14.

In 2007-08 only 60 percent of students had to pass the reading test and 50 percent passing math. This year, 80 percent had to pass reading and 75 percent pass math.

In March, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said it is possible 80 percent of schools will be labeled as failing because of increasing standards.

Though Texas schools are no stranger to accountability and have received state ratings since 1993 and AYP ratings since 2003, they are not the only measures of learning, said Elise Kail, MISD director of assessment, accountability and research.

She believes good teaching is in place in every classroom, regardless if the school met AYP standards.

Parents concerned with ratings should talk with campus principals to gain a comprehensive understanding of the different accountability systems put in place, Kail said.

State and federal accountability systems base ratings on one day of standardized testing.